John Rich's Lasting Christmas Gift

12/20/2007 Stephen L. Betts John Rich vividly recalls the year his dad presented him with a very special guitar when he was 7 years old. It was the same guitar John’s father had had since he was 17. “My dad is one of those charismatic-type preachers that plays guitar and sings in church. Growing up, I would sit behind the pulpit and watch him play the guitar.” John says he wrote his first songs on it, and still has the guitar. “That's a life-changing Christmas there when your dad gives you, because he couldn't afford to buy a new one, his guitar. And he never played it again after that. That was a pretty awesome Christmas.”